A Study on Tsunami Wave Penetration and Storm Surge Impact after the Construction of Sethusamudram Ship Canal

Abstract

This paper describes a study on tsunami wave penetration after the construction of the proposed Sethusamudram Ship Canal Project (SSCP). In order to fulfill this objective a hydrodynamic model set up based on linear shallow-water equations was used to simulate tsunami propagation and storm surges from the source in offshore to the nearshore around Sri Lanka. Numerical model results were compared with data from field measurements and tide-gauge records for the existing condition. There were two tropical cyclones in 1978 and 1964 that affected the northern and eastern coast of Sri Lanka which were used to set up the model. The numerical simulation suggests that SSCP will have a minor impact in terms of tsunami wave penetration into the Gulf of Mannar (i.e., 2-5% increase in wave amplitude compared to existing) and the storm surge height is increased by approximately 5% along the Jaffna and Mannar coasts.